


Them!

by folkloric



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-15
Updated: 2013-12-15
Packaged: 2018-01-04 13:13:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1081430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/folkloric/pseuds/folkloric
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jumping through time, the group ventures into the 50s.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Them!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bigecho](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Bigecho).



> This takes place during the period in which the group is running through time, trying to escape Mother. AU as Tommy is with them.

[Play the fanmix](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqPVz101nd0&list=PLFccF-gcltE7NB0YnRsQ1DLH3MhAlhBof)

 

Hands thrumming on the steering wheel to the sound of hangs clapping, his head nods to the beat of the song on the station. His brother stares out the passenger window, his head resting on the butt of his palm. The engine is quiet, the brakes parked as they sit along the curb under the shallow arms of a tree. The bright light of an oncoming car illuminates the sleek chrome and red leather interior as the driver quickly turns his song down as the other car rolls by, their own song loud in the night. The driver of the car gives the two youths a narrow look, who in return it give him a shy smile and a glare. The other car’s radio announcer clears his throat before speaking.

"...has given us a lot of great tunes this year. It maybe our song of 1954 as at the top of the hour, we just finished with Frank Sinatra's hit, _Young at Heart_..." 

The rest is lost as with a loud rumble the Buick Skylark roars forward, down the street, before making a smooth turn out of the neighbourhood. The two settle back into their seats and the driver turns his song back up, mouthing along to the words. There are crickets along in the grass, their song drowned out as the pulse of drums takes over on the radio and the car rattles with the increase tempo of hands against the wheel. 

"Do you see him?" The driver asks, his hands still moving. His dark hair parted neatly, glasses shining as he sits in a pair of smart slacks and a button up shirt. In response his fair haired brother, dressed in faded jeans and a tight white tee sits up in his chair and with a quick snap, changes the station, the sound of saxophone and synthetic beat replaces the crash of guitars. The heavy bass irritates the radio, but the song continues on between them with the added edge of static. The song ends and repeats again.

"I guess not." The driver says, and he adjusts the fake glasses on the brim of his nose. 

"We should have just pulled up." Tommy says, pumping the hand crank to lower the window a few more inches. 

"And explain how we have this car?" 

"And why I'm on the floor?" A third voice calls from the back and both teens turn to look at the floorboards. David lies on the floor of the (Kree) Cadillac Eldorado, on his side and uncomfortable. He looks up them, his head pillowed on a bent arm. 

Tommy throws his hands in the air in frustration, slouching into his seat, he says, "He said he'd be out in ten- it's been fifteen minutes what could he possibly-"

"He's here!" Billy cuts him off, and Tommy looks into the side mirror, then pushes himself out of the passenger window to see Noh-varr running. The older boy is smiling, laughter trailing behind him as he runs to them, leather jacket under one arm, boots in the other hand. 

"What the hell is he-" Tommy asks, as David sits up from his position and looks out the back window. Noh-varr is motioning with the arm holding his jacket for them to start the car and go as the lights turn on in one of the dark homes, and a man barrels out of it, shotgun in hand. The engine comes to life, the music pumps louder from the radio as the lights turn on. 

"Go, go go!" David says, pushing up into the seat as Noh-varr, swings the door open and jumps inside. His laughter fills the car as the engine roars and the car lurches forward, gaining traction and distance as the man from the house takes stance, and aims his gun. 

"What did you do?" David demands and before Noh-varr can respond, they all swing as Billy takes the right turn out of the neighbourhood hard as the sound of a gun firing rings. 

"Was it worth it?" Tommy asks from the front. 

Noh-varr's grins and from under his jacket, he withdraws a vinyl record that’s been signed. 

“We waited for a record?!” Tommy demands and Billy just sighs. 

“Was it worth it?” David asks, shaking his head. 

Noh-varr's grin is the only answer they need. 

&&&

They swing around town after that, only stopping once to order food out of a diner. Billy waves from inside as patrons look uncomfortably into their car. Tommy ignores them, switching between the preset stations until he settles on the sound of Cat Stevens.

“Why do they look at us this way?” Noh-varr asks, looking out of the window to stare at each individual who looks at them until he forces them to look away. 

“Welcome to the fifties.” Tommy says. 

“We haven’t had civil rights yet and we look like a bunch of greasers- punks.” David explains. “You and Tommy have white hair, I have black skin. We just scream rebels-without-a-cause-so-let’s-make-one.” 

The driver’s door opens and with a cushioned crash, Billy reappears, his arms laden with burgers, fries and drinks. His glasses are skewed as he looks at them, the good mood he’s in dissipating as he sees their quiet faces. 

“What?” He asks, just as the side passenger door opens. Everyone tenses then relaxes, as Teddy waves at them. Noh-varr moves to the center seat as Teddy gets in with his own food. 

Tommy grabs the food and balances it in his own lap before saying, “Let’s roll.” 

The car starts, the song hiccups from Cat Stevens to M83. Billy’s hand strays to change it but Tommy tells him to keep it as he passes the food back to everyone. 

“Have we heard from them?” Teddy asks, fries in his mouth as they sit at a turn signal. Two cars race through the intersection ahead of them, full of teenagers. Just as he asks the sound of a ringtone goes off and David shifts and pulls one out. 

“Speak of the devil,” He snorts and puts it to his ear. Billy turns the music down and Noh-varr continues to eat his burger. 

“They’re at the drive-in.” David announces still on the phone, Noh-varr’s face brightens and Billy makes the turn and follows the speeding cars. 

&&&

The drive-in is at the edge of town, on a large dirt field that used to have grass until it was rubbed out by the wheels of cars. There’s a line cars to get in, a sole attendant with thick glasses and bigger braces taking count. There’s a board upfront explaining the Feature for the night is _Them!._

When they pull up, the attendant peers inside. 

“Three dollars.” The attendant says and Billy hands him the money. 

When the gate opens for them, Billy pulls off to the right. 

“Do you know where they are?” He asks, looking through the crowd of swirling skirts and slacks. 

“He just said they were in the far back right.” David says and Noh-varr pouts. 

“But we can’t see the movie from there!” The Kree says. 

“We’re not here for the movie-” Tommy starts and stops, he goes from sitting in his seat from leaning out of it, and whistling at the girl who’s walking toward them, the girl who quickly gives him the finger. “Come on Kate, don’t be like that!” 

Kate Bishop walks up to them pleated shorts that come to her knees and a soft button up shirt that she’s rolled up to her elbows. Her lips are stained red with lipstick as she kneels down next to the car and rests her arms on Tommy’s open window. 

“You look nice.” Billy says and Teddy gives her a thumbs up. 

“We were wondering what happened to you guys.” She says and Tommy opens the door and lets her in. 

“You guys have a radio?” She says and turns the dial, Passion Pit floods the speakers, drawing the attention of a few confused teenagers. Billy turns down the volume and Kate comments on wishing the other car had one. “I’m not even going to ask why this plays music from our time.” 

She gives them directions to where the other car is and they pull up smoothly next to an older model Oldsmobile. With its top down, America sits on top of the back seats wearing a pair of jeans and a button up with rolled up sleeves. Her hair is pulled up and away from her face in a ponytail, her earrings gleaming in the light. 

“Where’s Loki?” David asks, as the rest of them get out of the car. 

“He wanted popcorn.” America says, frustrated. “That was ten minutes ago.” 

“There was a line,“ The last of their group says. Loki appears holding the biggest bucket of popcorn possible. “You have so little faith in me.” 

“I wonder why.” She deadpans and takes the bucket away from him the moment he’s close enough. He pouts and climbs up on the car to join her, taking his popcorn back. 

“How long do you think we have before they show up?” Kate asks and motions to the large screen. “I kind of want to see this.” 

“Let us go get snacks. Show me the ones that are good.” Noh-varr motions to the snack center, the building glowing in the warming summer night. Teddy waves at them as they head off in that direction. 

“Thirty cents they show up halfway through.” David says, getting into the front seat of the Oldsmobile. He turns the dials, looking for the frequency for the movie. 

“I say a dollar.” Tommy says. 

&&&

“When one goes to the drive in, are you suppose to watch the film or is that used as pretence?”

The question pulls America away from the film and to look at her smaller companion. Loki is staring out at the cars that nearest but further up from them, their windows all fogged, some with the silhouettes of moving bodies within. 

“I go for the movie.” America says and eats a handful of popcorn. “But I understand the appeal.” 

“It’s been longer than ten minutes, why aren’t you looking for Kate-“

“The snacks were pretence.” 

&&&

Their evil doppelganger selves show up halfway through the film, and have teenagers running in various directions. The movie still plays in the background, giant ants swarming as Kate fires arrows that locals will later think is some form of witchcraft and hit a man that will definitely go down as the devil, complete with wings and claws. In the background _Titanium_ is screaming on loop, Billy having knocked into the dial in his mad scramble to get out of the car and help.

“They couldn’t wait until the end?” Loki complains, standing on the roof of someone’s car as his hands glow with an aura of green as he focuses on removing David’s alter self from the equation. The alter-ego, dressed in red is standing on the hood of another car, giving directions to his comrades on how to fight. Loki fixes the problem by having another vehicle slam into the offending one, causing the man to fall from his perch. “I was enjoying the ants. Who would have known the carnage the lowest of all creatures could unleash.” 

“We’ll buy you the DVD.” Tommy snaps back and is gone in a flash again. Ahead of him, Noh-varr’s counterpart- a man with enough grease in his hair to put John Travolta to shame- goes from fighting with a Kree sword to have his weapon suddenly fly in the air as Tommy uses his momentum to provide an assist. 

“I have to agree with you,” Kate says, notching another arrow and this time focusing on Billy’s counterpart, as Teddy’s alter ego falls from the sky and demolishes the cab of an unlucky car. “We’ll discuss this over Chinese later though.” 

“Definitely.” Loki grins. 

“To your left!” America says from above and both Kate and Loki duck as a car comes flying at them, misses, and slams into a collective of cars with the enough force to make the ground tremble and to make them all grit their teeth at the sound of grinding metal and shattering glass. 

“Who-“ Kate starts, swinging her bow at the source. “Oh.” 

A girl stands some distance away in a in a dark blue full high waist skirt, white shirt and with a red ribbon in her hair stares at them. She’s cracking her knuckles; the white gloves she’s wearing are dark with dirt. 

“I think you would look nice dressed like that.” Loki comments and America scoffs up above. 

“Who are you, really?” demands what they assume to be the alter version of America. 

“You.” Kate says and fires. The girl stomps her foot into the ground, revealing a six pointed star before disappearing into it. Kate curses and America drops down the sky. 

“We need to leave.” She says and in the distance they can hear the wail of police sirens. 

“I believe you need to go back where you belong.” Another voice adds and the three of them turn to see the alter-Billy, dressed in black and blue staring up at them. He continues, raising his hands in the air, a blue light surrounding them and the drive-in’s screen.

“You’re real, You’re real,” She begins to chant and Kate, Loki and America scramble. 

“Billy!” Kate shouts and Billy looks to them just as Teddy takes out the alter Tommy he was fighting. “We’re leaving!” 

They jump through the portal just as radioactive ants begin to spill from the projector screen. 

“Can we-“ Loki says, in fascination as the nearest ant stumbles toward them. 

“Let’s go.” America says, grabbing his arm and leaping through time. 


End file.
